Alex Carson
Ladies and gentlemen, grab your boxes of chocolates and get ready for a hilarious ride through the bloopers, blunders, and mistakes of one of the most beloved films of all time: Forrest Gump! From shrimp boats to ping pong tournaments, Tom Hanks’s iconic performance as the lovable Forrest has captured our hearts for decades. But did you know that behind the scenes, things weren’t always smooth sailing? From flubbed lines to prop problems, we’re about to reveal the funniest and most memorable mistakes from the making of this cinematic masterpiece. So sit back, grab a snack, and get ready to laugh your way through the many bloopers of Forrest Gump!
FactsVerse Presents: This Scene Wasn’t Edited Look Closer at His Forrest Gump Blooper
Jimmy Carter’s Heat Exhaustion
As Forrest embarks on his epic three-year run, he sprints past a barbershop in town, where the blaring voice of the TV announcer catches his attention. In a moment of serendipitous timing, the announcer reports that President Jimmy Carter has just been struck down by heat exhaustion. The date of this event is etched into history as September 15th, 1979. However, according to the film Forrest began his trip presumably on the fifth of July, 1976, when Carter wasn’t yet President.
Forrest and JFK
By using George Wallace’s symbolic obstruction of the doorway to the University of Alabama as a temporal marker, it can be determined that Forrest is appointed to the college football All-America team in 1963, and it is in this same year that he has a meeting with John F. Kennedy. However, the Associated Press did not announce their All-America team until December 6th, 1963, which was a full two weeks after the assassination of JFK. Consequently, it becomes clear that it would not have been possible for Forrest Gump to have met JFK.
Statue Of Liberty
In the scene of the 4th of July 1976 celebration at Forest’s house with Jenny, a minor blooper occurs when the fireworks show on the television displays the Statue of Liberty after its restoration, which took place in 1986, a solid decade after the setting of the scene.
Movie Magic
Rather than venturing abroad to Vietnam to shoot the war scenes, the crew actually filmed them at a golf course situated on Fripp Island, located off the coast of South Carolina. To create the illusion of being in the jungle with marshy wetlands, they employed the use of computer-generated imagery.
The Wrong Logos
In the midst of the 1972 New Year’s Eve festivities, Forrest quenches his thirst with a refreshing Dr. Pepper, adorned with a logo that not conceptualized until the mid-1980s.
Later on in the film, during one of Forrest’s shrimping endeavors in 1974, he discovers a Mello Yello can amongst a collection of debris. However, it is noteworthy that Mello Yello did not make its debut until 1979. And the can itself displays a revised logo that not introduced until circa 1989.
That Suspicious Letter From Apple
The letter from Apple Computer, dated 1975, utilized the ‘Apple Garamond’ font beneath its logo, even though this font not employed by Apple until the release of the Macintosh in 1984. Prior to that time, the logo featured the Motter Tektura font. Notably, the Garamond font not even created until 1977.
It is also worth mentioning that even though Apple established in 1976, the company didn’t go public with it’s IPO until 1980. Furthermore, the letter mentioned that the Lisa computer was currently under development. However, the development of the Lisa computer did not commence until 1978.
Time Traveling Newspaper
During a scene set circa 1970, an individual spotted perusing a copy of USA Today, even though the newspaper not brought into existence until 1982.
Three-Point Line
As Forrest engages in a riveting game of ping-pong prior to his discharge, the gymnasium’s basketball court can seen with a 3-point line displayed. Although the ABA had integrated the 3-point line as early as the 1960s, it wasn’t until between 1979 and 1984 that this rule gained widespread adoption within the NCAA, international, and NBA games.
Forrest Face Swap
In the movie, Forrest awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Vietnam War. Interestingly, the footage of Forrest receiving the medal is authentic and taken from the 1968 ceremony honoring Sammy L. Davis for his valiant service. The only difference is that Hank’s face superimposed onto Davis’ body in the film.
Forrest Makes Five
Before the Medal of Honor ceremony, a newsman announces that a total of four service members, one of each branch, will be receiving the Medal. However, during the ceremony, there are four members from each branch wearing the Medal around their necks, in addition to Forrest. This means that there are five recipients in total, instead of the originally announced four.
All You Need Is Love’s
In the movie, when Jenny secures a position as a “folk singer” in Memphis, Forrest pays her a visit and reveals that he is preparing to depart for Vietnam. Based on contextual hints, it can be inferred that this encounter takes place in 1967. While outside the club in Memphis, Jenny expresses to Forrest that he is unaware of what love truly means. And interestingly, there a prominent Love’s truck stop sign displayed in the background. However, it should noted that Musket Corp did not change its name to Love’s until 1972. And it is improbable that there was a location of this nature in Memphis at that time. Nevertheless, it serves as a poignant visual element for the scene.
All Smiles
According to the movie, it’s implied that Forrest Gump served as the inspiration for the iconic happy face logo in the late 1970s. However, there is some contention regarding the origins of the smiley face, with some suggesting it was first used in the mid-1960s. In the early 1970s, brothers Murray and Bernard Spain employed the image in a drive to market novelty items like pin-back buttons. By the time the late 1970s rolled around, the smiley face had already reached its peak of popularity and was no longer the new craze that the movie suggests it was.
Tis The Season
The scenes in the film featuring the Protest Rally at the Washington Monument show inconsistent foliage. While the trees behind Forrest on the podium have no leaves, suggesting a late autumn or winter season, the trees surrounding the reflection pool in front of him are green, indicating summer. Additionally, when Forrest watches Jenny board the bus later on, the leaves on all the trees are a mix of different colors, resembling the height of autumn.
Stolen Valor
Despite Forrest evidently achieving the rank of Sergeant, Lt. Dan persists in referring to him as Private Gump throughout the film. This error is emphasized by the sergeant patch on Forrest’s sleeve, which clearly indicates his true rank.
Return To Sender
The letters Forrest wrote to Jenny are returned to him while in the hospital recovering from a butt injury. However, there is an inconsistency in the zip codes on the envelopes. The first envelope bears the zip code 39902, while the second envelope has the zip code 96602. The zip code on the remaining envelopes reverts back to 39902.
Deja Vu
When Forrest runs down to meet Jenny after delivering his speech pertaining the war in front of the reflecting pool, he walks past a man wearing a top hat twice.
Similarly, when Forrest and Jenny stroll past a glowing candlelit vigil in front of the White House, the camera catches the same five or six individuals multiple times, as well as a couple of the guards at the gate, as they seemingly loop around the area.
Run, Forrest, Run!
The early scenes in the movie show Forrest struggling to walk with his leg braces, making it impossible for him to run. However, when he and Jenny run to their favorite tree, he appears to run normally, despite still having the braces on. Later on, when he chased by bullies on bikes, he reverts to his old gait with the braces. It’s only after the braces are removed that he is able to run effortlessly.
Snow Way!
As Forrest stands outside the stage door at The Dick Cavett Show, the ramp behind him is devoid of snow. However, as Lt. Dan slides down the ramp moments later, it now covered in snow.
Regenerating Window
After Jenny breaks a window with a rock at her old house in Greenbow, Alabama, the camera cuts to a scene where Forrest is comforting her on the ground. But the window clearly no longer broken.
No More Jenny
The boat scene where Forrest jumps off after seeing Lt. Dan shows that the boat does not have the name “Jenny” painted on it, despite it painted earlier in the film.
Also, the camera angles during Forrest’s conversation with Lt. Dan on the pier after jumping off the boat are inconsistent. As some shots show him completely dry despite having just swum in the water moments before.
Gear Shifted
As Forrest gets on the school bus for the first time, shots from the outside of the bus show the driver with her hand on the gear shift while interior shots show her hand on the door lever. It’s a small detail, but nonetheless one worth keeping an eye out for.
The Cigar Situation
The length of the ash on the end of Lt. Dan’s cigar changes inconsistently between shots when he meets Forrest after he becomes a shrimp boat captain. It appears longer when the camera faces Forrest and shorter when the camera faces Lt. Dan.
Audibly Inaccurate
The sound of the fireworks bursting comes simultaneously with the visuals as Forrest and Jenny watch the Fourth of July display. However, there should be a slight delay due to the sound wave traveling a certain distance.
So, there you have it. While there certainly are quite a few more inaccuracies, bloopers, and mistakes featured in Forrest Gump, we covered the majority of the most glaring ones. Which bloopers made you chuckle, and can you think of any other obvious ones that we failed to cover? Let us know in the comments. And as always, thanks for watching!
